Cruise bookings are on the rise. Here are tips for anyone planning a trip

DENVER (KDVR) — As the world continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, bookings for cruise are up more than 400%, according to some travel agents. They say that’s taking into account trips rebooked after being recently canceled.

Trent emphasizes that it’s important for everyone to follow proper safety guidelines but cruise travel is expected to be safe for those booking later this year and next year.

Trent adds that many of his clients aren’t worried about contamination.

“We have clients who have said they really weren’t afraid of the actual virus when they were on board but they were afraid of being quarantined,” he said.

As FOX31 reported in March, the world watched as more than 3,500 passengers and crew were held for days on a cruise ship off the coast of San Francisco after 21 people tested positive for COVID-19.

After a global suspension of cruises, companies are working closely with health authorities to ensure passengers are safe in the future.

The Problem Solvers asked Dr. Stephen Cobb, Chief Medical Officer of Centura Health’s Denver Metro Group about the safety of taking a cruise In the coming months.

“Cruise ships do a great job keeping things clean and even with their heroic efforts, people still get outbreaks of viruses,” he said.

Cobb stresses that it is important to weigh the risks of being in a situation where social distancing may be a challenge.

“Cruise ships are special circumstances. They are a setting in which it is very easy to attract an infectious disease from another passenger. You’re very close to each other in proximity at dinner (and) during activities,” he said.

Another thing to consider: safety guidelines required on flights taken to cruise departure areas.

“We now have a newfound obligation to think of our fellow traveler, so that means we’re wearing a mask the whole time not just as we go through security,” Skyler McKinley of AAA of Colorado told the Problem Solvers.

Cobb says if you do decide to take a cruise, protect your health by distancing as much as you can, using hand sanitizer and practicing frequent hand washing with warm soap and water.

It’s also a good idea to book a cabin with access to plenty of fresh air. That’s something Trent says makes all the sense in the world.